Is it possible to put ice cream in a hot oven without it melting? Oh, yes! Make this delicious dessert to try it out. There are many variations of this dessert – choose the type of cake, ice cream, fillings, and toppings that you like best. You can make one large dessert, or individual ones as we did.
Ingredients:
- Cake or brownie mix 1 packet & Ice cream (flavour of your choice)
- 4 egg whites* for making the meringue
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/2 cup sugar
Safety note:
- Please get an adult to work with you or get some adult supervision!
- Wash your hands after handling eggs. Sometimes the *egg whites* in the meringue won’t be fully cooked. If you’re concerned about salmonella, use pasteurized dehydrated egg whites or meringue powder you can buy at the store. You can also use liquid pasteurized egg whites from a carton, although the meringue won’t fluff up as much as with fresh eggs.
- Vegan option: use the liquid drained from a chickpea can instead of egg whites
- Please take care while handling hot objects from the oven- use oven gloves.
What You Do:
- Choose a bowl (or individual ramekins) for an ice cream mould and line it with aluminium foil. Pack the ice cream in tightly and then freeze for several hours or overnight.
- Bake the cake or brownie mix as directed on the package. Allow the cake to cool all the way. Cut the cake to form a base for your ice cream mould. (Use a biscuit or cookie cutter for individual servings.) The base should be slightly bigger than the moulded ice cream.
- When the cake cools and the ice cream well frozen, make the meringue: Use a mixer to beat the egg whites on high until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Continue beating and add the sugar one tablespoon at a time until you have stiff glossy peaks. (Lift the beater out of the bowl – if the peaks stay standing up, your meringue is ready.)
- Preheat the oven to 450*F / 230*C
- Place the cake on a baking sheet, then remove the ice cream from the mould and place it on top the cake base.
- Use a spatula to quickly spread the meringue over the cake and ice cream, covering it completely. Make sure the meringue goes all the way down to meet the cookie sheet. (If you think your ice cream is getting soft quickly, you can put the dessert back in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before putting it in the oven.)
- Place on the middle rack in the hot oven and watch closely. Remove when meringue is golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately—and enjoy!
